Planned additions to 2009 edition of the statistical bulletin ‘Statistics on deaths reported to coroners, England and Wales’

This note is to advise users of planned additions to the next edition of the National Statistics bulletin ‘Statistics of deaths reported to coroners, England and Wales’, which is due to be published in mid-2009 (date yet to be confirmed) and will report on deaths reported to coroners during 2008.

The annual bulletin presents statistics on the work of coroners in England and Wales. Data are obtained from manual statistical returns submitted by all coroners under the Coroners Act 1988. The release presents figures on deaths reported to coroners, inquests and postmortems held, and finds reported to coroners under treasure legislation.

It is planned that the 2009 edition of the bulletin will include, for the first time, new statistics on the age of the deceased at the time of death for those inquests where a verdict was returned by the coroner during the year. This age data will be collected in six bands:

- under 1 year
- 1 to 14 years
- 15 to 24 years
- 25 to 44 years
- 45 to 64 years
- 65 years and over.

There will also be an ‘age not known’ category to cover any remaining cases. The age bands have been chosen to tie in with those used elsewhere in official demographic statistics.

As brand new statistics, there may be some issues with regards the quality of data collected. Ministry of Justice statisticians will carefully review the quality and completeness of the data collected from coroners, with reference to the relevant codes of practice, before they are published as National Statistics.

The new data on the age of the deceased where an inquest verdict was returned will be collected in Section B of the statistical return. There will also be a new ‘corporate manslaughter’ category of inquest adjournment in Section C, following the coming into effect in April 2008 of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007.

All statistics in the 2008 edition of the bulletin will continue to be published in the 2009 edition.

For any queries regarding these additions to the annual statistics, please contact the Economics and Statistics Division of the Ministry of Justice at statistics.enquiries@justice.gsi.gov.uk.

Economics and Statistics Division Ministry of Justice December 2008